Criminology

Some subjects are about hard, uncontested facts. The proven formulas; the clear truths. This criminology degree goes beyond the black and white — prepare yourself instead for some eye-opening shades of grey.

Our students are good people, and they’re on a mission. They believe in a better, safer, fairer world. Criminology at NTU is about questions, values, and perceptions — from your emotional response to big news stories, to how you feel walking home alone. What does and doesn’t work in our criminal justice system? Is rehabilitation truly possible? What’s nature, and what’s nurture? You’ll experience a sprinkling of morality, a dash of philosophy, and lot of self-reflection as we examine the ‘why’ — and not just the ‘what’ — of crime.

Alongside our fun and friendly teaching team, you’ll learn first-hand from the victims and perpetrators, the politicians and rule-makers, and even the detectives who’ve hunted down serial killers. Together, we’ll explore the past, present, and future of crime — from cities to cyberspace, and everywhere in between.

Why study this course?

• Stand out. We're the only UK university to offer life-changing paid placements in working prisons.

• Customise your course with specialist modules ranging from 'green' criminology to cybercrime.

• Meet prestigious guest speakers, from authors and analysts to the convicts-turned-criminologists.

• Get connected, with partners like Notts Police, HM Prison & Probation Services, and the Home Office.

Our whole sense of who we are as a society revolves around our relationship with crime. That’s why this criminology degree isn’t just about the criminal justice system — it’s about human beings. Who decides what’s wrong? Why is ‘justice’ such a contested word? Why are some communities so troubled? And why do so many people continue to ‘fall through the cracks’?

This isn’t crime through a Netflix lens. This is real life: brutal, uncomfortable, but fascinating. From the core theories — Where does our criminal justice system come from? How do we measure crime? — we’ll move through increasingly global perspectives, as you build a worldwide understanding of the discipline.

In Year One you'll be introduced to the key themes and issues in contemporary criminology. The core modules include: The Criminal Justice Process; Current Issues in Criminology; Constructing Crime; Crime Research and Crime; and Place and Justice.

In Year Two your core modules will include: Managing Justice; Explaining Crime; Applied Criminology; Advanced Crime Research; and Crime Reduction and Community Safety.

In your Final Year, your core modules are Future Directions in Criminology and your dissertation or research project. You’ll also have the opportunity to specialise through optional modules delivered by experts in their field. These options include: Media and Crime; Cultural Criminology; Crime, Race and Empire; Gender and Crime; Hate Crime, Identity and Citizenship; Drugs, Crime and Justice; Young People, Crime and Justice; Inequalities and Crime; Serious and Organised Crime; Green Criminology; and Cybercrime.

Throughout this course, assessment methods including coursework, written and practical assignments.